Centrifugal separator.



110.774,104. PATENTBD Nov. 1, 1904. P. B. PETTBNGILL.

GENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 7, 1901. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET -1.

PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904.

A F. B. PETTENGILL. GENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

M//T/VE'EEEE /NUE/VT www@ wmwm EY /QTT/VE'YE No. 774,104. PATENTED NOV. l, 1904. F. B. PETTENGILL.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATR.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 7, 1901. 'N0 MODEL s SHEETS-SHEET s.

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WITNE- INVEHTOR BY gfigg UNITED STATES Patented November 1, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE,

FREDERICK B. PETTENGILL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL L. KISTLER.

CENTRlF-UGAL SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,104, dated November 1, 1904.

Application filed October '7, 1901. Serial No. 77,903. (No model.)

To (L7/Z whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK B. BETTEN- GILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ofv Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Separators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved machine for concentrating discrete metalliferous material for the separation or concentration of the more valuable particles therein, though it is equally applicable for the separation or concentration of other discrete material in which there is a difference of specific gravity in the different elements of the material; and the objects thereof are to effect the separation of the different elements of a discrete mass where there may be only a slight difference in the specific gravity of the different atoms of which it is composed.

My invention consists, essentially, of reducing the material to a finely-powdered state and then introducing it into a rapidly-revolving concentrating-cylinder whose plane of revolution is vertical, within which are a plurality of revolving pulp-lifting blades, preferably revolving' in the same direction as the concentrating-cylinder, but at a slightly-reduced speed, which blades will-cause the material in the concentrating-cylinder to be repeatedly lifted off the inner surface thereof and caused to approach the center of the cylinder and then permit it to fall back toward the inner surface of the concentrating-cylinder, and thereby repeatedly subject it to the action of centrifugal force and at the same time to pass through the mass across the lines of centrifugal force a cleansing agent, as water or air.

It also consists of other novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

It is a well-known principle that the swifter the rotary motion of a discrete mass the greater the tendency ofthe atoms-thereof to arrange themselves in layers or strata according to the specific gravity of the respective atoms of which the mass is composed, and it is to take advantage of this well-known principle as applied to the treatment of discrete metalliferous material that my invention is' primaril y designed, although it is equally applicable to other discrete material in which there is a difference of specific gravity in the atoms of which the mass is composed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of my improved concentrator. Fig. 2 is a central horizontal section thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same and showing an exhaust-fan applied thereto to adapt it for use as a dry-process concentrator. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the concentrating-barrel of the concentrating-cylinder, partly sectional, said view being largely' exaggerated to show its taper.

. A is the supporting-frame, in which the concentrator-frame B is slidably mounted by rods C, attached to the rear end of the concentrator-frame, which rods slide back and forth in boxes I), afxed to the supporting-frame. The front end of the concentrator-frame is supported by upright resilient bars E, the lower ends of which are rigidly affixed to the supporting-frame, the upper ends being slightly rounded and resting in recesses F of the concentrating-frame, so as to permit of the slight oscillation of said frame, the plane of said oscillation being substantially horizontal. This oscillatory motion is imparted by means of rod G, one end of which is attached to the rear end of the concentrating-frame, rubber washer G being provided to take off a sudden jar and the other end being attached to the eccentric H, mounted on shaft I, which shaft is mounted in bearings affixed to the supporting-frame and is provided on one end thereof with pulley J, by means of which motion is imparted thereto. Revolubly mounted in the concentrator-frame is hollow shaft K, to which is rigidly attached power-pulley L and concentrating-cylinder l/I. This concentrating-cylinder is preferably formed of a hub a, aHiXed to shaft K, to which hub is removably attached the annular end piece b, having an outwardly-projecting flange b. To the end piece is attached an annular iianged ring c by rivets (l, which pass through spacing-blocks e, which separate the flange from the end piece, thereby providinga channelf for the passage therethrough of the gangu-e when the machine is in operation, as hereinafter explained. Into this annular ring is screwed the end of the concentrating-barrel g, the other end of which is provided with an outwardly-prejecting L- shaped flange 7i, as shown in Fig. 2. To this flange is riveted by rivets z', which pass through spacing-blocks j, an annular ring Z5, having an outwardly-projecting flange k', the block separating the two, so as to provide a passage Z for the passage therethrough of the concentrates, as hereinafter explained.

Surrounding the flanges which form the channels at the ends of the concentratingcylinder are circular rings of casingm and n, having inwardly-projecting ends and flanges, as shown in Fig. 2, which with the parts of the concentrating-cylinder form annular channels 0 for the collection of and passage out through an opening in the bottom of the concentrates and gangue, respectively. rI`hese casings are atlixed to the concentrating-frame.

Rotatably mounted in the concentratingframe and passing through the hollow shaft K is shaft N, on which is rigidly mounted pulley O and the lifting cylinder or hub I), which is provided on its periphery with a plurality of L-shaped stirring-blades R. The longitudinally-extended portions of these liftingblades present a sharp edge in proximity to the surface of the concentrating-cylinder. This lifting-cylinder is provided with an annular trough I, having an open bottom 2, except at the points where the ribs 3 unite the two ends of the cylinder, which is preferably of cast metal and is removably attached to the hub a, aflixed to the shaft N. The plane of the revolution of the concentrating-cylinder and the lifting-blades is vertical.

In the operation of my machine power is applied to impart to the respective parts the desired motion, and pulp is fed into the trough in the lifting-cylinders through chute S, which leads it from hopper T, the supply being controlled by slide U.

When my concentrator is used as a wetprocess machine,suflicient water is mixed with the pulp to make it flow freely. As soon as the pulp strikes the side of the trough of the lifting-cylinder a centrifugal motion is imparted thereto, and it is forced through the open bottom thereof and falls upon the inner surface of the concentrating-cylinder, which in such machines I prefer to make slightly tapering-say approximately one inch in lifty feetewith the larger end at the gangue discharge. As the concentrates possess a greater specific gravity than the gangue, they force themselves through the gangue and contact with the inner surface of the concentratingcylinder, as such separation does not instantly l take place. I have provided lifting-blades which will repeatedly raise the material off the inner surface of the concentrating-cylinder, and as it falls off such blades the concentrates and gangue are operated upon by the law of inertia, which also has a tendency to cause their separation. N ow by means of the eccentric H on shaft I an oscillating motion with sudden bumps is imparted to the concentrating-frame and connected parts, which causes the concentrates to travel toward the concentrate-outlet, while the gangue travels toward the gangue-outlet at the other end, being caused to iiow in that direction by a current of water which is fed into the machine through nozzle V, aiiixed to pipe W, which cleanses the concentrates in the usual well-known manner. It will be observed that by this construction I am able to use centrifugal force upon atoms of different specific gravity, and thereby multiply such difference in proportion to the centrifugal force applied, so that discrete metalliferous material with but little difference in the specific gravity of their respective atoms, which could not be separated by means of any concentrator with which I am acquainted, may be easily separated therewith.

When my concentrator is used as a dryprocess machine, an exhaust-fan X is attached by suitable means to the garrigue-outlet and a current of air is drawn through the machine thereby. The ore is fed into the machine in the same manner as when it is used as a wetprocess machine, and the same forces act thereon in the same manner, except that instead of water being fed into the machine through nozzle V a current of air is forced therethrough by any suitable means. (Not shown.) n

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a rotatable concentrating-cylinder and independently and more slowly rotatable lifting-blades within said concentrating-cylinder the plane of whose revolution is vertical, said blades having' the outer edge thereof closer to the concentratiiig-cylinder than the inner edge, and having' one edge in advance of the other, said lifting-blades,having the longitudinally-extended portions thereof presenting a sharp edge in proximity to the surface of the concentrating-cylinder.

2. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a reciprocating frame; means to impart a horizontally-reciprocating motion to said frame; a revoluble concentratingcylinder and independently and more slowly revoluble lifting-blad es within said concentratingcylinder mounted in said frame, the plane of revolution of said cylinder and blades being' vertical; annular flanges aiiixed to said reciprocating frame surrounding the ends of said IOO IOS

concentrating-cylinder and forming therewith annular channels for the passage out of the concentrates and gangue.

3. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a reciprocating frame; means to impart a horizontally-reciprocating motion to said frame; a revoluble concentrating cylinder mounted in said frame; annular flanges afiixed to said reciprocating frame surrounding the ends of said concentrating-cylinder and forming therewith annular channels for the passage out of the machine of the concentrates and gangue; with independently more slowly revoluble lifting-blades mounted Within said concentrating-cylinder, the plane of revolution of said cylinder and blades being vertical and means to impart motion to said moving parts.

4. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a reciprocating frame; means to impart a horizontally-reciprocating motion to said frame; a revoluble concentrating cylinder mounted in said frame; annular flanges afiXed to said reciprocating :frame surrounding the ends of said concentrating-cylinder and forming therewith annular channels for the passage out of the machine of the concentrates and gangue; independently more slowly revoluble lifting-blades mounted Within said concentrating-cylinder, the plane of vrevolution of said cylinder and blades being vertical; means for imparting rotary motion to saidcylinder and blades; and means to introduce the pulp into said concentrating-cylinder; and means to cause the How therethrough of a cleansing agent.

5. A machine for concentrating a discrete mineral, comprising a supporting-frame; a concentrator-frame slidably mounted in said supporting-frame; a revoluble concentratingcylinder mounted in said concentrator-frame, having a gangue-outlet channel near one end, and a concentrate-outlet channel near the other end; and revoluble stirrer-blades mounted Within the concentrating-cylinder, the plane of revolution of said cylinder and blades beingvertical; and means to impart motion to the respective moving parts.

6. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotatable concentrating-cylinder and independently more slowly revoluble lifting'- blades Within said concentrating-cylinder, the plane of revolution of said cylinder and blades being vertical, said lifting-blades having the longitudinally-extended portions thereof presenting a sharp edge in proximity to the surface of the concentrating-cylinder; means for imparting rotary motion to said cylinder and blades; means to introduce the pulp into said concentrating-cylinder; and means to cause the iiow therethrough of a cleansing agent.

7 In a centrifugal separator the combination of a reciprocating frame; means to impart a horizontally-reciprocating motion to said frame with sudden stops; a revoluble concentrating-cylinder and. independently and more slowly revoluble liftingblades within said concentrating-cylinder mounted in said frame, the plane of revolution of said cylinder being vertical; means to introduce the pulp into said cylinder; and means to cause the iiovv there- Y through of a cleansing agent.

8. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a reciprocating frame; means to impart a horizontally-reciprocating motion to said frame With sudden stops; a revoluble concentrating-cylinder mounted in same frame; independently more slowly revoluble liftingblades mounted Within said concentratingcylinder, the plane of revolution of said cylinder and blades being vertical; means for imparting rotary motion to said cylinder and blades; means to introduce the pulp into said concentrating-cylinder; and means to cause the How-therethrough of a cleansing agent.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of September, 1901.

FREDERICK B. PETTENGILL.

Witnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, MATTIE MCGINNIs 

